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Monday, December 8, 2014

ESSAYS ON THE AMERICAN SCENE

- One of four new books from Tim; this book includes humorous descriptions of the human condition in America.

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The following are excerpts from the Introduction of my new book, "ESSAYS ON THE AMERICAN SCENE," one of four new books I recently introduced, available in paper and Kindle eBook formats from Amazon.

"If the mind really is the finest computer, then there are a lot of people out there who need to be rebooted."
- Bryce's Law

Americans are interesting creatures. As a heterogeneous society, we bring the best and the worst to the table. On the one hand, we are stubbornly independent, we resist cooperation, and ready to fight our neighbor when his kid accidentally kicks a ball on our property; On the other hand, we can be tremendously kind and generous, and ready to come to the nation's defense if attacked. Americans prefer to react to disasters as opposed to planning. It's an inherent part of our character which the rest of the world is well aware of; as Japan's legendary General Yamamoto said after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

America is a melting pot of ideas and customs from around the world, which is both our strength and weakness. We love to bicker about our government, yet are unwilling to do anything about it. We are easily swayed by the media who spins our perspective on current events, diverts our attention from true issues, and castigates anyone who is not politically correct. America is a nation split between hard workers and freeloaders. Whereas half of the country believes and pursues the American dream, the other half believes they should do nothing but dream.

Perhaps America's biggest commodity is entertainment, which is closely followed by the rest of the world. Our entertainers see themselves more as free-spirited artists and role models as opposed to laborers. They are quick to offer their political opinions which seems odd to me. This is like the court jester offering advice to the King.

Although I write on many topics, I find the foibles of the American people to be particularly interesting. What I am including herein our observations of phenomenons or events we tend to overlook or have forgotten about.

From the outset, let me warn the reader I am not always politically correct. You will also encounter some profanity along the way, but I am more interested as to why we use it as opposed to the simple use of it. I apologize in advance if this offends you, but please realize I am trying to make a point. Hopefully you will see the humor in what I am describing.

After reading these essays, some of you will accuse me of dwelling on the past too much. Maybe, but it is probably better than what we are experiencing today. In reality, I am trying to contrast the human character of yesterday to today. We cannot appreciate where we are going unless we know where we've been.

There are eight sections in the book:

1. HOW WE COMMUNICATE - some observations as to how we send and receive messages.

2. HUMAN NATURE - describing what we are about and what makes us tick.

3. FOOD - a handful of essays on what we like to eat.

4. SHOPPING - where we go and how we barter.

5. THAT'S LIFE - interesting episodes of how we live.

6. SPORTS - some perspectives on baseball, fishing, and sports in general.

7. SPECIAL DATES - commentary on some important days to remember.

8. ENTERTAINMENT - remembering some class acts.

9. EPILOGUE - concluding comments.

As to what makes me tick, you first have to remember I graduated from college with a Bachelor's degree in communications, hence my fascination with our vernacular and histrionics. I never tire of hearing new words injected into our culture, particularly from people in advertising. I also spent over thirty years as a management consultant, specializing in information systems and computers. Because of this, I was fortunate to have toured quite a bit of the world, visiting companies of all sizes and shapes, and people from the trenches to the boardroom. It was a very enlightening journey. This also caused me to write on a myriad of subjects, everything from business management, to systems and technology, politics and religion, and the ever-changing world around us. Although I try to make a legitimate point with each of my essays, I try to sprinkle in some humor to make them more palatable.

I hope you will be pleased.

Tim's "Uncommon Sense Series" is available in paperbook and eBook format. For information, click HERE

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Tim is a writer and management consultant who
writes commentaries about the times we live in and management concepts. His writings
are well known on the Internet and are humorous, educational, and at times controversial.
You won't always agree with him, but Tim will definitely get you thinking. Tim is the
Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company, Inc. (M&JB), an international management consulting firm located in Palm Harbor.

A seasoned writer, Tim's works have appeared in management and computing publications all over
the world. His book, "The IRM Revolution: Blueprint for the 21st Century" made the Top 10 list
of management books in Japan. His recent eBook,
"THE BRYCE IS RIGHT!
Empowering Managers in today's Corporate Culture," has also received critical acclaim.
Tim's blogs and podcasts are read and listened to by thousands.